John E Wright invests in an EFI VUTEk M3h UV LED hybrid printer from CMYUK to increase capacity and support its largest ever contract win
John E Wright has announced a significant investment in an EFI VUTEk M3h UV LED hybrid printer, supplied by CMYUK. The new 3.2m wide system replaces a long-serving EFI VUTEk GS 3250 LX Pro and joins an existing VUTEk h5 at the company’s flagship Nottingham premises to create a high-capacity production hub.
The investment follows a two-year evaluation of the wide-format market by Technical Director, Alan Edwards. The VUTEk M3h was selected for its ability to handle modern, heat-sensitive, and eco-responsible substrates while maintaining a resolution of up to 2,400dpi. This high-definition output is particularly suited to the close-view graphics required for retail, exhibitions, and point-of-purchase (POP) applications.
Alan Edwards, Technical Director at John E Wright, commented, “From day one, the VUTEk M3h felt like the practical, no-nonsense upgrade we needed – high quality, fast to adopt, and confidence-building for the team. The M3h has already changed our production rhythm, so there’s less maintenance, more uptime, and the headroom to say yes to bigger, closer-view work without hesitation.”
The M3h features a CMYK plus white ink configuration as standard, with the ability to handle up to five layers of ink in a single pass. It produces 40 POP-quality boards per hour and supports continuous dual-board and roll printing. To further improve stability when handling fluted boards and flexible media, the system is scheduled for a Media Edge Guide (MEG) mechanical upgrade.
The transition was supported by CMYUK’s colour specialist, Rob Cawston, who ensured the new printer’s output provided a complete visual match with the rest of the fleet, which includes Canon Colorado and Mimaki technologies. The use of the familiar Fiery XF Pro RIP also allowed the team to ramp up production quickly with minimal retraining.
The installation comes at a pivotal time for the business, following the win of the largest contract in the company’s 125-year history. Tony Barnett, Managing Director, added, “The M3h is the latest example of the company investing in state-of-the-art equipment in order to drive growth. It gives us the flexibility to explore new applications and materials, respond faster to changing market demands, and embrace the trend towards more environmentally responsible substrates.”
The energy-efficient UV LED curing system on the M3h also supports the company’s move towards more sustainable production, reducing power consumption and waste while maintaining the high-impact visual quality required by its diverse client base.
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